This invention relates to a dispensing apparatus. More specifically, this invention relates to a vending machine for vending cans, bottles, or similar generally cylindrical articles.
It is well known in the art to use vending machines wherein cans or bottles are stored in a number of tandem vertical columns. Means are usually provided at the bottom of the columns such that only one can or one bottle is dispensed at a time.
The following patents are illustrative of known vending machine designs:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 3,209,942 Gasparini et al Oct. 5, 1965 3,224,631 Payne Dec. 21, 1965 3,300,084 Payne Jan. 24, 1967 3,356,259 O'Neal Dec. 5, 1967 3,362,582 Gasparini et al Jan. 9, 1968 3,454,192 Johnson July 8, 1969 3,463,355 Ural Aug. 26, 1969 3,722,744 Payne March 27, 1983 3,799,393 Baxendale March 26, 1974 3,810,560 Stegeman May 14, 1974 3,883,038 Bookout May 13, 1975 3,904,076 Payne Sept. 9, 1975 4,019,650 Oden April 26, 1977 4,298,138 Oden Nov. 3, 1981 ______________________________________
The Gasparini et al '942 patent discloses a vending mechanism having movable support bars 21 and 22 which are moved by a movable reciprocating carriage (see especially 45 and 46 of FIG. 7).
The Payne U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,224,631, 3,300,084 and 3,904,076 show dispensing machines having upper support rods and a lower support which only supports cans from the front column of two tandem columns. Further, provision is made for dispensing from a single column.
The O'Neal patent shows a vending mechanism with upper and lower gates. As best shown in FIGS. 3-5, the lower gate pivots at point 45 on the side wall.
The Gasparini '582 patent shows a vend plate (see especially FIGS. 4 & 5) pivoting on the side wall. A gating arrangement is above the vend plate.
The P. A. Johnson U.S. Pat. No. 3,454,192 discloses a dispensing apparatus for dispensing cans from three tandem staggered stacks. The sequence of dispensing is front-middle-rear on one sidewall then front-middle-rear from the cans on the other sidewall. Two support members 9L and 9R cooperate with a stepped sidewall having steps 11R, 13R, and 15R (see especially FIG. 2) to selectively release the front, middle, or rear can.
The Ural patent discloses a vending machine adaptable to vend either cans or bottles. A masking plate 86 is used to cover a notch in timing cam 80 (FIG. 8) in order to change the operation from cans to bottles. Additionally, ribs 126 are used to accomplish the bottle/can change-over. Offset wall portion 132 is used to release one can from bail 16, while another can is held.
The Payne U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,744 shows a split vend gate mechanism for dispensing cans from alternate tandem columns by 90.degree. rotation or bottles from a single column by 180.degree. rotation.
The Baxendale patent discloses a vending machine with pivotable side wall mounted members 156 and 158. The vending mechanism is suitable for single depth vending of bottles (FIGS. 8-11) or double depth vending of cans (FIGS. 12-15). An escrowing assembly includes parts 188 and 190 with width adjustment parts 210' and 212' (see especially FIG. 7) to support a can in one column when a can in another column has been released. A programmable cam 110 (FIG. 5) is used.
The Stegeman patent discloses the use of a two-part cradle support (compare especially FIG. 2 and FIG. 3) which may be used to dispense from two tandem stacks of cans or one stack of bottles.
The Bookout patent shows a vending machine with levers 126 and 127 (see especially FIGS. 20 and 21) which sequentially vend cans from different columns.
The Oden U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,650 discloses a vending mechanism for front and back staggered stacks. An upper and lower bale 22 and 24 are fixed together to rotate as a unit. A stepped portion 26 on the lower bail supports a back column can after the dispensing of a front column can.
The Oden U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,138 discloses a vending mechanism having a cradle with steps in order to release a front/back can every one half revolution or one bottle every revolution. The operation of the step cradle is shown in FIGS. 5-11.
Although such prior art machines have been generally useful, these prior art devices have usually been subject to one or more of a number of disadvantages. In particular, many of these constructions have required complex mechanisms which are subject to jamming and/or malfunction. Some of the prior art mechanisms for dispensing from tandem columns have insufficient theft protection. Numerous of the prior art vending mechanisms are not easily adapatable to various sizes of cans, bottles, or similar cylindrical articles. Those prior art devices which provide for different sizes may not have the desirable depth (i.e., they may be limited to a set number of tandem columns). Often these prior art devices are suitable for use with staggered tandem columns, but are not well adapted for use with straight line or nonstaggered tandem columns. Further, several of the prior art devices require the lifting of a column of cans, thereby placing a relatively heavy load on a driving motor which controls the mechanism which must lift the heavy load.